


Leave What's Heavy Behind

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/M, Flashbacks, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 22:48:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16314098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: Curled up with Lou, Branlin thinks about something that happened long ago.





	Leave What's Heavy Behind

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Heavy from Birdtalker 
> 
> And Lou as always belongs to Beammetothemoon

Branlin tucks herself against Lou’s warm body.  His arm wraps around her automatically, and Branlin feels safe. 

She’s still adjusting to Lou’s easy physical affection, and Branlin’s heart is heavy as she thinks about how rarely she experienced anything like this in her youth.  There were the fumbled interactions with boys that never really felt  _ good _ , and, of course, occasional brushes by people in the hall.  No affection in any of it, not really.

But she remembers something else, too…

Branlin is fourteen and feverish, a late night walk in a storm leading to feeling weak the next morning leading to passing out in the library that night.  There’s no snap of the fingers that can fix her, so she’s sent to bed and instructed to drink plenty of fluids.

Sleep doesn’t come  as thoughts run through her head of all the things she could be-  _ should _ be- doing, and she lays there with her eyes closed, right on the cusp of unconsciousness.

“You stupid girl,” Valrona’s voice is soft, affectionate, despite her words.  “Out in the storm all night.”

“I’m sorry,” Branlin says, voice scratching against her throat.  

Valrona sighs and there’s a dip in the bed.  “You’re such a hard worker. But sometimes I wonder if this is the right environment for you.”

That cuts to the core of Branlin’s fears- that she doesn’t belong here and that Valrona will send her away.  Her limbs feel too heavy to move, but she still makes an effort to get out of bed. She can show Valrona that she can still work, even now.

“Shh, shh,” Valrona hushes softly, gently.  “You need your rest.”

Valrona’s fingers card through her hair, and Branlin relaxes.  The gentle rhythm soothes her and Valrona even begins to hum softly.  It’s not a pretty sound, not really, but it’s the most beautiful thing Branlin has ever heard.

Young Branlin wants to live in this moment forever.  She doesn’t understand why, but despite her shaking and shivering, she’s elated.  For years and years, Branlin will look back on this small stretch of time as a treasure.

She slowly tips over the edge to unconsciousness as Valrona murmurs something she can’t hear, and the moment ends.  And nobody really touches her again until Lou grabs her hand over a dead body.

Branlin is older now, and she knows that it will be years until she feels that kind of affection again.  She tilts her head upwards, gaze travelling along the now familiar lines of Lou’s face. 

His face looks like it’s dancing in the firelight, and Branlin feels some indescribable flutter in her chest.  It didn’t take Lou until she was sick and shivering to show her overt kindness. Heck, he didn’t even have to know her name.  He’s just that warm of a person. 

Sometimes Branlin wonders what he’s doing with someone who can’t help but fall short of his warmth and goodness.  But she’s not going to complain, and if he wants warmer pastures, then, well. He’ll move on and she’ll figure it out.  

For now, she’ll enjoy this time with Lou.

“Thank you,” Branlin says softly.  

Lou looks away from the fire to look down at her.  There’s a crinkle in his forehead and the arm around her tightens.  

“You’re welcome, my dear,” Lou says.  “But- ah- what did I do?”

“You’re you.  I appreciate that,” Braniln says.

Lou still looks a touch confused, but he smiles at her anyway.  “Well, it’s what I do best.”

“Good,” Branlin says.  

Lou presses his lips to the top of her head before resting his cheek there- another contact point.

Snuggled, safe, Branlin spends the rest of the evening basking in the comfort of touch.  


End file.
